Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!
Artisan jeweler Lori Linkous Devine makes wedding jewelry with a modern aesthetic that is perfectly suited for texture-lovers with an avant-garde streak. Here are six ways her designs set her apart from other wedding rings on the market.
Read MoreRebecca Mir Grady is a storyteller. Except that, instead of words, she speaks in molten metals, precious gems, shapes, lines, and textures. The result are unique and stunning wedding and engagement rings.
Read MoreHusband and wife duo, Holly and Josh, turned their love for metalworking and art into Forge and Fountain Jewelry. The engagement rings and wedding bands they craft are so stunning they are fit even for the Mother of Dragons.
Read MoreLooking for the perfect engagement ring or wedding band? Here are our 8 favorite rings by Valerie Madison Jewelry.
Read MoreEmily's engagement ring is gold with a small diamond and was made for my great-grandmother in the 1940s by my great-uncle in Melbourne. My great-grandmother was a rabble-rousing Anglican woman who loved me dearly and was always kind. It seemed appropriate to give it to a rabble-rousing Episcopalian woman who loves me dearly and is always kind.
Read MoreWhether the ring is 20 carats or $25, if you’re not the one rocking it, keep your two cents to yourself.
Read MoreAre you looking to breathe new life into a family heirloom piece or a vintage ring? We know just the place for you! Bario Neal is an amazing jeweler, not to mention they are an ethical company run by WOMEN. We have profiled their gorgeous, creative, inspiring jewelry before, and we have talked to them extensively about using white sapphires as an ethical diamond alternative. What always amazes us is that many of their rings are one-off pieces created for a special individual, often recycling family pieces.
Read MoreTory planned the most elaborate and heartfelt proposal for her girlfriend, Kate, and a run-of-the-mill engagement ring would not do. After dating for seven years and living together for two, Tory and Kate knew they wanted to get married, but both felt ambivalent about engagement rings, as neither wears much jewelry. Tory says that after guessing at Kate’s finger size based on a mood ring, she went into Tiffany’s one day after going for a run, “which was one of the funniest experiences. I was like, can I just look at bands with no bling, and they were very confused why this sweaty woman with no engagement ring wanted to try on wedding bands.” In the end, Tory decided they would make their own wedding bands together at With These Rings in Port Townsend, Washington, and she planned an elaborate proposal leading up to the making of the rings.
Read MoreThey made their rings with Stephanie in January of 2017. “It was one of the best experiences of my life!”, Alex says. Alex had ethical concerns with diamonds, so she knew she didn’t want a traditional engagement ring. Furthermore, she “loved the idea of having completely matching rings. We have a long history of making each other handmade custom gifts (for birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, etc.) so the idea of hand crafting matching wedding rings really seemed to be the perfect fit.” They drove to Port Townsend: “We were actually very nervous when we arrived because once you get there it all becomes very real, and for a moment you almost feel like you aren't really going to leave with a real life wedding ring because how could you possibly make it with your own hands in an afternoon?” Alex said she also had “this weird feeling that she was going to mess it up so bad that she’d be asked to leave.” But her fears were alleviated once she met Stephanie: “Once you sit down with Stephanie before the actual metalwork begins, she does a really good job of making you feel at ease and reassures you that you really are going to leave with professional quality rings that you hand craft, and that it will be easy and fun.” Right away, Alex knew she had made the right decision.
Read MoreWith These Rings is a sweet studio in Port Townsend, Washington, on the Olympic Peninsula where you and your special someone can make your own wedding rings and fall in love all over again. The studio tagline is “You Can’t Buy Love, But You Can Make It.” The owner and artist behind the studio and concept is Stephanie Selle, a kind and gentle soul who will ensure you have a pleasant and creative afternoon melting metals and crafting one-of-a-kind rings.
Read MoreAuBrey and Ronnie are so confident in who they are. Their love was so amazing to witness because as well walked down busy city streets, you could tell they couldn't even tune in to all the people around. That's the kind of love I LIVE for.
Read MoreSo there you have it, white sapphires are the most natural, hard, rare gemstone that are second only to diamonds. Though not imbued with the same properties or “fire” as a diamond, they are more affordable and are therefore more attainable in larger stone sizes with pristine clarity that can be designed with custom cuts. White sapphires also don’t come with all the trappings of diamonds and can be a conversation-starter with a unique story.
Read MoreSix weeks ago, my fiancé Nathan and I were in Park Slope with a jewelry saleswoman encouraging me to try on a $19,000 vintage ring from early 19th-century Europe. That’s right: $19,000.
Seeing that rock, my stomach sank — not because the ring was way out of price range, which it was, but because I didn’t know how to express my diamond ambivalence to the clerk without being rude. After all, her hands were bedazzled with five diamond rings of her own. With the price tag, it should have been easy for me and Nathan to tell her we were going to pass. But as we explained our preferences, I started to feel like my value was under the spotlight — as though the worth of the ring was a reflection of my worth.
Are you looking for the perfect engagement ring that will match your personality and your star chart? Are you maybe a little into astrology, moon phases, and all things woo woo? If so, then this roundup of gorgeous rings from ethical and independent jeweler Bario Neal will show you what’s in store for you this season and help you find the perfect engagement ring for your astrological sign.
Read MoreJasmine is joined by artist and metalsmith Mariele Ivy, to discuss her unique engagement ring sets that marry inlaid stone with brilliant cut diamonds. Together they discuss choosing an engagement and wedding ring that works with your lifestyle, living a creative life, and how the suggestion of a stranger can send your life in unexpected directions.
Read MoreMany jewelry retailers have jumped on the ethical bandwagon or tout conflict-free diamonds, but what does ethical really mean for the conscientious shopper about to commit to an engagement ring or wedding band? How do you cut through the noise and the the green-washing to get to the truth? What questions should you ask to ensure that your rings are made with standards that address glaring issues like unsafe working conditions at mines and cutting facilities, the environmental effects of mining, and child labor? The following tips should help you navigate through the complex process of choosing truly ethical wedding rings, and create a ring that both represents and supports love and progress.
Read MoreKendra Renee is a metalsmith in Oakland who truly brings couples’ stories to life through their wedding bands by involving them in significant elements of the ring-making process, from collecting the raw materials to pouring the metal in the cast, creating the actual ring — talk about an awesome date night! Kendra says, “It’s kind of magical.” Recently one of her clients brought in gold nuggets that her grandfather had once been paid in for his work as a dentist. With Kendra, the client alloyed them and melted them into her wedding set so she will always have a little piece of family history with her. “People love to see the process behind the scenes — they literally see their ring take shape and become a part of its story.”
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Catalyst Wedding Company highlights weddings by and for game-changers. We seek to amplify and empower voices and viewpoints that are usually missing from the Wedding Industrial Complex. We're a community of badass wedding professionals who love all things funky, fresh, diverse, unique, and personality-driven; we convene twice yearly for (un)convention, a collaborative workshop, styled shoot, and dinner party. We're also the publishers of Catalyst Wedding Mag, a resource for couples looking for inspiration and affirmation that doing things differently in wedding-world is not only ok, it's wonderful!
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